


welcome nerd

by blackbirddan



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:55:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24090931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackbirddan/pseuds/blackbirddan
Summary: A day in lockdown, gaming, and a surprise trip.Happy birthday Mandy!
Relationships: Dan Howell/Phil Lester
Comments: 14
Kudos: 101
Collections: Alittledizzy birthday fics 2020





	welcome nerd

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dizzy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dizzy/gifts).



“Oh - Florida week,” said Phil, glancing up from his phone.

“Hmm?” frowned Dan, around a mouthful of sandwich.

“Mum just texted me,” said Phil. “Reminding me that we were off to Florida next week.”

Dan swallowed.

“Oh,” he said, sighing. “Yeah. And it would’ve been my LA trip.”

“The timing would have been good. Works better, us being away at the same time. For me, anyway.”

“Yeah. Well, not for Norman.”

“He’d have been fine with some visits from Auntie Cornelia.”

“Mmm. Hopefully May 2021 will work out.”

“God, that’s so far away.” Phil threw his phone back on the couch. “Do you think it’ll even be over by then?”

“A year from now?” Dan shrugged. “Dunno. I don’t even know what’ll be happening next week.”

“True.”

“My mum texted me about my birthday,” said Dan. “She wants to do a distanced meetup, if we can by then, or if not then something online. She suggested a virtual picnic.” Dan made no attempt to hide the distaste in his voice on the last two words.

“That sounds nice, though,” said Phil.

“Yeah, I guess,” said Dan. “I think she means, like, sit on the balcony or something and drink wine on Zoom.”

“Not like we haven’t already done that,” said Phil. “A few times. And you said you enjoyed it.”

“Yeah, I’d be fine with something like that. I’m not that fussed, honestly,” said Dan, shrugging. “As long as I get cake. I’ll just save a proper party for my thirtieth, I guess.”

Ignoring the minor crisis he felt brewing at the idea of Dan turning thirty, Phil continued.

“Do you think you’d go, if the lockdown lets up by then? To your mum’s?”

“Maybe,” said Dan, sounding uncertain. “I mean, I think that’ll be _allowed_ by then. I just don’t know…”

“Mum was talking about Christmas yesterday,” said Phil thoughtfully.

“That’s a long way off,” said Dan. “Who even knows what the world’ll be like by then?”

“But, like, can you imagine travelling through airports and stuff, before a vaccine?”

“No,” admitted Dan. “But they’ve said they expect domestic flights to be up and running before the end of summer. With distancing and stuff. Not filling all the seats. Not sure how they’re gonna deal with people getting through the airport and that, but they’re working on it…”

“I know, but even with all that - I just think about, like, travelling to the airport, and being there, like, going through security, and then being on a plane, and - even with distancing and stuff, I just can’t - like, I don’t know if I could do it, honestly. If I were just going somewhere by myself, maybe. But going to my parents …”

“I know,” said Dan gently.

“I thought about the ferry, but then I’d still have to get a train up north, or a flight, and at Christmas more people will be travelling … I mean things might change, yeah. But - I can’t see how.” He picked at a thread on his shorts.

“You might have been tested by then. You’d know for sure.”

“But I could pick it up on the way, and not know.”

“I - true.”

Phil looked up to meet Dan’s sad eyes, and could see he wanted to say something, anything, to help him feel better, while knowing he couldn’t. Dan smiled ruefully.

“The one time we might get to spend Christmas together, and you’d hate every second of it.”

“I wouldn’t _hate_ it,” said Phil. “But obviously I want to go home. Not that this isn’t my home as well. You know what I mean.”

“Yeah.”

“You want to as well, don’t you?”

“‘Course. And I want to see your parents, too. But I just - unless there’s a drastic change between now and then, I don’t know if it’d be worth the risk. Especially to our grandparents.”

“I know,” said Phil, sighing. 

“I’m sure we could do something with the other Londoners, though,” said Dan. “You’d get to see Martyn, at least. And I’m sure your parents will Zoom all day with you if you want. I know it’s not the same, but - ”

“Yeah,” said Phil. 

“Sorry it’s just me,” said Dan quietly, after a pause. 

“Oh, shut up,” said Phil. “You talk like I’d get sick of you. If I haven’t by now, d’you think this’d do it?”

“Not sick of me, no. But sick of _just_ me.”

“No, it - I’m not sick of you in _any_ way. I miss everything else, every _one_ else, but that doesn’t mean I’m sick of you. I’m not gonna need, like, a Dan-holiday when this is over. But I am going to want to see everyone.”

“I know. Me too.”

“I think we should do a little tour once we can. Loads of people to visit.”

“We can do that. But there’s no point planning it right now.”

“I know,” said Phil, more sharply than he’d intended. “But maybe I just want something to look forward to, you know?”

Dan nodded. 

“Well, there’ll be a Florida week again,” said Dan. “And you’ll get your Dan-holiday after all.”

“Thank God,” said Phil, smirking. “I’ll get so many good trips next year. Florida, your birthday…”

“Here’s hoping,” said Dan. 

“And, silver lining,” said Phil. “I might finally get to spend Christmas with my true love.”

“Norman,” they said in unison.

“Haha,” said Dan, standing up to take his plate to the sink. “What are you up to this afternoon?”

“I thought I might film some Animal Crossing,” said Phil. Dan hummed in response. “You?”

“Dunno,” said Dan. 

“Wanna play for a bit? I could visit your island for the video?”

He already knew what the answer was going to be before he asked, and watched a series of emotions flit across Dan’s face.

“My island’s really not - like, it’s the most boring island,” he said. “There really isn’t much to show off. You should show off your island, not mine.”

“Mine’s not much better,” said Phil. “Maybe you could visit me?”

“I already played a bit today,” said Dan. 

“When?”

“This morning. When you were on the phone with your mum.”

“Okay,” said Phil, giving up. “I’ll try not to run too late, so we can eat at a reasonable time.”

“Good,” said Dan. “Have a nice day at the office.”

Phil headed to his filming space. He and Dan had an arrangement that during the day, they worked in separate spaces, to avoid distracting each other or chatting instead of getting anything done. It wasn’t every day, but they’d found it had become necessary.

Now there was no need for them to collaborate directly, it worked better. It also meant when they came together later, after their ‘office hours’ were done, they’d excitedly compare notes and updates about their respective projects, and their work didn’t bleed into their free time as much. It was a balance carefully struck after over a decade of working from home, first rebalanced when they’d moved to working separately and then again to fit around lockdown.

Phil set up his rig and started recording, before firing up the game. He hadn’t checked in on his island for a while - his favourite aspect was the multiplayer, and without it, his motivation for constantly playing had dropped somewhat, aside from random bursts of inspiration for designs or decor. He and Dan had visited PJ’s island recently, and he’d been so intimidated by the scale and impressiveness of the work he’d put into it that he hadn’t touched his own for days. 

He caught up with the major things he’d missed, and found he was glad to be back on Pickle Island, and caught some good moments for his video. 

Once he had enough footage, he wrapped up his outro, and carried on playing for a little while longer, digging up fossils, plucking weeds, when his phone lit up with a text.

Dan: _you done filing  
*filming_

 _yee_ , he replied. _just finished_

_can i come to your island_

Phil looked at the text for a moment in disbelief. _Now_ he wanted to visit?

 _sure_ , he replied, before heading across to his airport to open the gate. Dan probably wanted to sell his fruit in the shop for extra money, as he occasionally did, though they hadn’t visited each other in-game for a few weeks. 

His game sounded the chime to let him know someone was joining, and his mind started to wander as the long loading screen displayed that _Dan, Absolute Trash_ was arriving. He was still preoccupied thinking about editing his video when he glanced down to watch Dan arrive, and his eyebrows rose in surprise.

Dan’s little character was wearing a tux, rather than his usual _Worn Jeans_ and _Striped Shirt_ combo, a black rose clamped between his teeth as he strolled through Phil’s airport. Despite himself, Phil chuckled.

When the game loaded in, Dan was exiting the airport. 

_hi_ , Phil messaged.

The rose in Dan’s mouth disappeared, and a moment later, it fell to the ground beside Phil.

 _for u_ appeared above Dan’s head.

 _aw thank_ , he messaged back. _what for_

 _im here to pick u up_ , messaged Dan.

Phil frowned at the screen. 

_date night!!_ messaged Dan.

Phil’s expression softened into confusion. 

_wat_ , he messaged back.

 _get changed  
and follow me to my island_, messaged Dan.

 _if u want_ , he continued, a moment later.

 _do u not like my outfit_ , sent Phil in reply, looking at his character’s frog costume, which he’d found in a tree and worn for the video.

_ofc, v cute  
live ur scaley truth  
you dont hav to change  
unless u want_

_i will_ he replied. 

_ok, dont be long, c ya soon_

And with that he disappeared back into the airport, and before Phil could even pick up the rose, the _looks like someone’s leaving!_ notice flashed across his screen. 

As Dan left, Phil looked fondly at his tiny tux. Had Dan been planning this, or was it spontaneous after their serious conversation earlier? What did he have waiting on his island?

As soon as the game reloaded, Phil sprinted back to his house to look through his storage. He had a grey, knitted jumper very like one of his real ones, and managed to put together an outfit he’d have been pretty happy to wear for an actual date night.

 _should we be in the same room or_ , he texted Dan on his real phone.

 _i’m busy_ , replied Dan. _i have a date_

Phil shook his head.

_ok i’ll leave you to it, have fun, be home by midnight_

Phil plucked a red tulip from its stem as he raced to the airport - he still didn’t have any roses - and waited through the long loading screens. He was actually excited to see Dan’s island - aside from occasionally seeing something on Dan’s Switch screen, he hadn’t seen it properly for ages.

He peered curiously at the bits of Dan’s island he could see in the loading screens, and he couldn’t help the laugh of glee that escaped him as he saw Dan’s character, still in his tux, waving frantically up at the plane next to a little sign reading ‘WELCOME NERD’ in large, red letters. At least there was a heart underneath.

As the game loaded, he couldn’t help but feel a flutter of anticipation, as he always did on their unexpected date nights, even after all the years they’d been having them. They were lucky that they were used to having them at home, long before lockdown had come along - but this was something new, and Phil couldn’t help but feel excited.

He stepped out onto a pathway lined with black roses, leading away from the airport. He dropped his red tulip at Dan’s feet, and Dan immediately put it in his hair.

 _this way_ , said Dan.

He followed Dan along the flower-lined path, wondering if he’d spent his entire in-game time cultivating black roses, before they arrived at Dan’s small house. Outside, he had set up an area with a picnic blanket, cushions, a swimming pool and tiki torches.

 _swim before dinner?_ Dan messaged. Phil selected the _nod_ emote and snorted as Dan’s character changed into the game’s closest equivalent to nudity, a little vest and shorts. Phil switched over to the _shocked_ emote, wishing he was in the same room as Dan so he could see his real reactions, but also knowing that was entirely the point.

 _ooo skinny dipping_ , he messaged. 

_yea_ , replied Dan. _take em off_

Phil removed his character’s carefully selected clothes, and as Dan’s pool was only cosmetic, they padded over to the beach and splashed at the water’s edge for a while. Phil tapped away at the screenshot button as he had been all evening, knowing he’d never share them but wanting them nonetheless.

Dan eventually led them back to the house, and they dressed before heading inside. In his living room, Dan had set up a table and chairs, with a plate of sushi on top.

 _sit_ , said Dan. _dinner is served_

They both sat, and Phil snapped a few more screenshots.

 _ok now what_ , he messaged, giggling to himself.

 _so impatient_ said Dan. _ok, stay there_

Dan slid off his chair and over to the piano, before hopping onto the stool and frantically hitting the keys.

Dan’s playing in real life was often beautiful and melodic, and Phil loved to let his head drop against the back of the sofa and just listen to him play. The random plonking he was doing now was quite the opposite, but nevertheless Phil smiled as he watched him smash away at the piano in his tux.

 _ok follow me ;)_ , messaged Dan when he was done, before vanishing into the house’s back room. Phil followed him through, and loaded into the newest room in Dan’s house, the bedroom. He had something soft on the music player, and the room was filled with various, mismatched lamps.

Dan changed back into his vest and shorts, and Phil laughed as he busted out the _bashful_ emote, before hopping onto the bed.

Phil chuckled at their ridiculousness as he changed out of his clothes, and dropped onto the bed beside him. This was no Sims - all their little characters could do was sleep - but he remained there as Dan shut off the lights in the room, listening to the gentle music and looking at the soft glow from the lamps.

 _bow chicka wow wow_ , messaged Dan. Phil snorted.

He was looking at the screen, considering what to type in reply, when Dan put the lights back on, his character hopping off the bed before breaking into enthusiastic applause.

Real-life Phil dissolved into laughter. He didn’t have the same _bashful_ emote that Dan had used earlier, so settled on _joy_ once he’d got off the bed. Dan dropped a clothing item next to him, and Phil plucked it off the ground to find it was a bathrobe.

They dressed in their robes, and Phil followed Dan out of the house and over to the picnic area he’d prepared. He snapped screenshot after screenshot as they sat on the cushions Dan had set out, looking at the sunset.

 _thank u_ , he typed into the app. _this was rly fun_

 _ofc :)_ replied Dan. 

Phil watched them for a moment longer, the breeze stirring the flowers around them. He shifted his character around so he was facing Dan’s.

 _ilu <3_ he typed.

 _thats gay_ , replied Dan, and turned to face him too. 

It was awkward holding down A so it looked like they were holding hands, while taking loads of screenshots at the same time as holding his phone, but Phil managed it.

They went on a short tour of Dan’s island after that - Dan hadn’t done a huge amount with all of it yet but he was quite proud of his zen garden and perfectly-lined-up orchard, and they strolled through his half-filled museum, taking loads of photos in the dimly-lit aquarium. They’d done so before, only a day or two after the game had come out, but it looked so much more alive now Dan had more fish in it. 

As he followed Dan around his island, Phil noticed that everything he’d had set out was for two people - two chairs at his table, two cushions on the picnic blanket, two bathrobes in storage, two seats on the fishing pier. It might have been Dan’s preference for symmetry, and simply the fact that it just looked better that way, but the knowledge that it had been in Dan’s mind to eventually share it all with him once he was done setting it up warmed Phil’s heart. 

They finally returned to the flower-lined path to the airport, and Dan dropped a gift-wrapped item at Phil’s feet. 

_gift_ , said Dan redundantly.

Phil picked it up, expecting a joke item like the poop hat Dan had mailed to him a week ago, only to find a _Betta Model_ inside. 

He was so surprised it took him a moment to remember to select the _shocked_ emote. 

_what!!! thank u, wow_ he messaged.

_yw :)_

_will u write to me_ , Phil messaged.

 _yes dear_ , replied Dan.

 _farewell then_ , messaged Phil. _thank u for a lovely nite :]_

He waved, headed into the airport, and back to Pickle. 

Back at his own house, he looked through his inventory at his new items. He had a plant set out on a small, wooden table, which he swiped off before replacing it with his betta model. It wasn’t quite the same shade of blue as Norman, but nevertheless, it made him happy to have it there. He placed the black rose alongside it, in a tiny vase, and took another screenshot.

He turned off his Switch, shut down his filming equipment, stretched, and headed back to the living room. Dan was curled up on the couch when he walked in.

“Had fun on your date?” Phil asked.

“I did, thanks,” said Dan. “I think it went pretty well, if I say so myself. Did your recording go okay?”

Phil didn’t reply, padding over behind him and wrapping his arms around his shoulders.

“Yeah,” he rumbled into his ear. “It was good. _Really_ good.”

“Good,” replied Dan, chuckling. Phil pressed a kiss into his curls.

“Also, can we do all that for real?” he said, resting his chin on Dan’s shoulder.

“What d’you mean, for real? Are you saying Animal Crossing isn't real?”

“Of course it’s real. But I want actual sushi now. And a picnic.”

“I mean, we can do that. Not on the beach, though.”

“Yeah, that’s fine. I’m not fussed about the beach.”

“Did you want sushi _now_ , or - ”

“D’you think it’s a good idea?”

Dan considered for a moment.

“I think it’s okay,” he said. “We’ll throw out all the packaging straight away. We can get it if you’re sure.”

“Yeah,” said Phil. “I am. You?”

“Yeah. Let’s do it, it’s been forever. The usual?” said Dan, grabbing his laptop.

“Yep. Oh, but add some of those mochi things.”

“Mango?”

“Yeah. No, coconut.”

“K.”

While Dan keyed in their order, Phil grabbed his phone, and Googled if anyone in London would deliver black roses during lockdown.

**Author's Note:**

> Dan and Phil are using the in-game chat function during the gameplay section, and all typos are intentional.
> 
> Thank you for reading! Reblog [here](https://blackbirddan.tumblr.com/post/617643118508097536/fic-welcome-nerd) on tumblr :)


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